Unlikely, to Say the Least
by softboy
Summary: His heart sank. He knew what this was. What it had to be. The existence of it sickened him; he wasn't that bad of a person, was he? (Of course he was.) Inside lurked a manifestation of his distorted desires; that was how the other one had been. And they would all get to see it. This...was his Palace. And they were going to destroy it. And he could do nothing but sit and watch.
1. Plans

_-Note: i promise this has more characters but only allows 4 fhbghgb_ _-_

 _Bip bip!_

Kennith was snapped out of his small trance. Who the hell was texting him at this hour? ( _Then again, why was he_ _ **awake**_ _at this hour?_ )

He pushed away from his workbench and his work-in-progress, allowing his chair to slide to his bed, where his phone laid atop a pillow. He was fairly unfazed, until he saw the name. Akira's.

( _It read "Akira Cute-rusu". They'd been dating long-distance for a while now, of course he gave him a dumb, cute nickname in his phone. Akira didn't know about the nickname, of course. He was only given the silly, on-the-spot ones.)_

His heart picked up its pace as he snatched his phone, near giddy with excitement; Akira had been missing-in-action for a week or so now ( _maybe longer, he didn't have the best grasp on time_ ), and he'd been absurdly worried. He'd taken on way more projects in that time to occupy himself, though the extra money it brought in wasn't unwelcome.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Hey! Sorry for disappearing like I did. I know you're probably asleep, but just wanted to let you know I'm alright! I kind of got arrested and had this whole big spat with my parents, got expelled and sort of disowned...not fun.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** But, I'm back! I'll see you when you wake up. Sweet dreams.

It took a moment to compose himself; he was smiling ear-to-ear and mushing his face into his sheets, kicking his legs...thank god no one could see him. But, then, the shock registered. Arrested? Expelled? _Disowned?_ He couldn't fake being asleep now.

 **Ken:** holy SHIT  
 **Ken:** first of all, how did YOU get arrested? second, are you like, okay? and THIRD, i MISSED YOU im glad youre not dead  
 **Ken:** also dont worry about why im not asleep, i got absorbed in a project

That was a good excuse, right? Yeah.

It didn't take long for Akira to respond. ( _That made his heart flutter._ )

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** As always. But yeah, I'm alright! A family friend took me in. I use "friend" loosely, though. Someone asked him to, don't know if it was my parents, or what.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** His name is Sojiro! He runs a cafe here in Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc. He's not the nicest person in the world, but he isn't terrible, either.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** And as for your first question, I tried to help a woman who was being harassed. Unfortunately, the guy was so drunk he couldn't keep his balance. He toppled, got hurt, and called the cops to blame it on me.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** What's important is that I'm alright, though, yeah? You get some sleep, it's late. You can finish your work when you wake up, right?  
 **Ken:** yeeeah youre right, ill hit the hay  
 **Ken:** lmk if anythin goes on while im off in dreamland! ily !  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Love you too! Sleep well!

Yeah, no. He wasn't sleeping anytime soon; he just didn't want him worrying. He clicked to message Stephanie.

 **Ken:** steph i found the perfect excuse for us to move to japan  
 **Ken:** so akira got arrested (hes okay dw), so we need to move there, because who else to keep him company in whatever new desolate drab place hes been shipped off to than his boyfriend and his boyfriends friend?  
 **Ken:** i know youre asleep but its PERFECT  
 **Ken:** i'll work on finding us a place and getting tickets

He didn't bother waiting for her to wake up before he got into his research. Yongen-Jaya, he said...hopefully there would be an apartment around there open for rent.

The longer his research went, the higher his doubts mounted. Would he be able to move at all? Sure, he was 18, but he was a high-school drop out without a real job. His only form of expertise lied in electronics. He couldn't guarantee he'd be able to pay for a home if Stephanie didn't want to come along. And that was if he could get out of his house in the first place. He couldn't be pursued, legally, but his mother was...persistent. He could formulate a plan, likely; but really, in the end, it was the money that was his biggest concern. He'd need to convert his current money to yen, too, and then actually find a place with enough space for both of them, and within their price range...such a hassle. He was definitely going to need Stephanie; he just had to hope she actually wanted to come with him.

Hoping was all he could seem to do, lately.


	2. Moving

After a long, LONG discussion with - or rather, interrogation by - Stephanie about the move ["Have you found a place? How much is it? There's good schools there, right? Do you know JSL? Or Japanese, even?" etc.], she had finally agreed to come along. She had already graduated, so she would be able to find a job easier, and he had some stockpiled from his little fix-ups. It had taken around two weeks, maybe some less or more, to get everything properly put in place. The proceedings for their apartment were covered, (he'd made sure to keep it in Yongen-Jaya. Their apartment was not the prettiest place, but it was a place), the one-way tickets were purchased, and his mother was out of town for the weekend. Perfect.

It was time to make his move.

His texts to Stephanie were rushed as he hurried out the door with all his bags; with his tools, and guitar, it was all...a bit much, to say the least.

 **Ken:** IM OUT HALLELUJAH  
 **Ken:** mom wont be back til we're long gone  
 **Ken:** im headin to the airport now! ill meet u there

His heart raced as he piled all his things into his - "his" - car. This was really happening. He was really going to just _go._ He could hardly believe that it wasn't some convoluted dream.

( _That would be just his luck, though, right?_ )

He almost wanted to text Akira, to tell him that he'd be there soon...but he held off. He wanted it to be a surprise. Akira knew by now that he would be arriving sometime. He didn't have to know _when_ sometime was going to be.

He barely noticed how long the flight was. He didn't even sleep on the way - he was too excited. He nearly burst into tears when the plane landed and needed a few minutes to compose himself. It was real. They were _here._

He shook Stephanie awake without a second thought and moved so fast, he nearly left her behind. He shot Akira a quick text - he'd been silent a while, he didn't want him to worry.

 **Ken:** hey! sorry, i conked out  
 **Ken:** hope i didnt worry u too much!  
 **Ken:** im gonna be busy for a bit, so i'll be quiet again, ill message when i can! ily!

Given, Akira was probably in school right about now...he'd have to drop by for a visit. Tomorrow, anyway; they needed to get everything into their new home!

( _He was already getting used to the sound of that. It gave him a warm, fuzzy, happy feeling. He probably looked like a maniac to anyone who didn't know the situation, with his ear-to-ear grin._ )

The apartment was...a bit small. Cramped, one might even say. It came pre-furnished, though sparsely, along with basic utilities; a creaky bed in each bedroom, and a couch in the living room.

Kennith was absolutely _ecstatic._

"Steph - this feels _just_ like my old bed, thank god, I was terrified about having to adjust...And with my sheets, too, it'll be like home just got a thousand times better!"

Stephanie was not impressed. She couldn't help a smile, though, seeing her best friend so happy. While he was babbling away, she went to write herself a note about looking for jobs the next morning. She could unpack later, she felt - the ride had been long, and she was jetlagged to all hell. She wished Kennith a quick goodnight, flopped onto the couch, and promptly passed out.

Kennith, on the other hand, went about unpacking their things in a flurry of excitement. Halfway through, however, the lack of sleep - and his lack of food - caught up to him. He didn't even make it to his bed before just curling up on the floor and falling right asleep.

Not the healthiest thing, certainly, but it was all uphill from here. Anything was going to be better than "home".

- _srry this one is a bit shorter! more of a transition chapter + im super tired, gettin 2 the good stuff soon-_


	3. Greetings

- _first longer chapter! hopefully the others will be this long, or around that, since now we're getting into more characters!-_

Kennith was awoken by his phone buzzing incessantly - which was odd, since he usually left the volume up. If someone were calling, it should've been their ringtone blaring. He blearily reached for his phone to see what it was, and barely registered the new, strange app at first. He stared at it in confusion, his sleep-fogged brain trying to work out what it was doing there.

He deleted it near immediately, grumbling and curling back up, his blanket yanked over his head to shield from the sunlight shining through his window.

That, however, was when his alarm went off - the alarm being his usual text from Akira, telling him that he was awake, and heading out for the day, with the usual "love you, sorry if I woke you up" at the end.

( _It never made him any less giddy._ )

He went to go back to sleep once again, before jolting up again, struck with joy as the memory of what had happened returned to home, new country, new circumstances.

He wasted very little time ( _that being about 30 minutes, which was very little compared to how long it usually took_ ) dragging himself out of bed, trying to push away the dreariness of sleep. A few splashes of cold water in the bathroom helped some, and two mugs of the coffee Stephanie had brewed - whenever she'd gotten it? - perked him up the rest of the way. She either didn't notice all his darting and stumbling around, or didn't find it very important to worry about it; at this point in their friendship, the latter was far more likely.

His dressing routine was completely thrown off by his mess of suitcases, though he got his bra off and binder on in record time, so that was certainly something! He spent barely any time checking himself in the mirror, focusing entirely on, for once, proper cleanliness. He was going to make his way to Shujin, after all, he couldn't show up in the same condition he normally allowed himself to be in.

He paused for a second to realize that, toothpaste still burning at his gums. A worry had dug itself into the back of his head, during his week of planning: would this move be more detrimental to his health than it was beneficial? But here he was, brushing his teeth for the first time in at least a week, just after a long night's rest, taking a shower, and changing his clothes-all because he was in this new environment. All because he planned to actually _leave his house_ and go _meet someone._ All of this was already a vast improvement on his usual state. Hell, the fact that he'd gotten out of bed was amazing.

With this assurance fresh in his mind and settling the worry in his heart, he quickly finished brushing, and looked himself in the eyes in the mirror for a moment. He took a deep, slow breath, and gave a genuine smile to his reflection.

"You've got this," he whispered. And for once, he actually felt like he meant it.

He gave Stephanie a kiss on the cheek before bounding out the door, unable to stifle the giggles bubbling up from his chest. He slowed himself to a relaxed stroll-he knew it would be a while before he actually _saw_ Akira, since he'd only just set out for school...how long ago? Only an hour, at most, he figured. He might as well take the time to make his way around the neighborhood and familiarize himself.

He encountered Leblanc after not too long, and quickly pulled out his phone to make a little note of its location; temporary, until he learned the area. He took the time to send Akira a text. Something vague, of course - this would be a surprise.

 **Ken:** hey, what'd u say that new school of urs was called? Shujin? i was talking w someone about u (gay i know) and totally spaced on it

Not entirely untrue, either - Stephanie had wanted to know the name of the school, though she hadn't specified why. Kennith theorized she might want to become a teacher there, because she was a big nerd, of course she would want to be a teacher. The response came fairly quickly.

( _That was surprising, somewhat. He'd figured he would be in class._ )

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** That's right! Shujin Academy!  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Aptly named, I can already tell. ;-; Save me.  
 **Ken:** don't u fret, ur knight in pastel armor will sweep u off ur feet  
 **Ken:** maybe  
 **Ken:** how tall are you again bc that might affect the sweeping  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** About 175 cm! I think that's...5'9 or so?  
 **Ken:** oh wow youre tall  
 **Ken:** the sweeping may be changed to dragging but we will see  
 **Ken:** now focus on ur class nerd, ily

As he walked, Kennith casually searched the school and its address - asking _where_ it was would have been way too obvious.

He hadn't yet told Akira that he and Stephanie had arrived in Japan. He knew the move was going _to_ happen, but he also knew about the obstacles around it, so there was no definite date on when it _would_ happen - which was exactly Kennith's plan. He wanted to surprise him.

It took him a good while to figure out not only where the station was - his stubbornness on asking directions was his downfall, in that regard - but how the hell the train system worked and where the train actually went; thank god there were a few other people heading the direction he was, as much as he didn't want to talk to people. He managed a slightly clunky conversation, explaining how he was new to the area, and asking how to reach Aoyama-Itchome by train. Take the train to Shibuya, then transfer onto the Ginza Line...simple enough, he felt.

Until he reached Shibuya.

The station was incredibly crowded, filled with noise from all directions and neon lights shining into his eyes, it was overwhelming. He tried to keep his head down and block out the noise, forcing himself to keep his breaths even. He absentmindedly plucked a pamphlet for part-time jobs from the little stand they were in, making a note to read it later, and give it to Stephanie. He clumsily made his way to Exit 8 after seeing the signs and overhearing a few conversations, mumbling rushed apologies to anyone he bumped into, nearly crumpling the pamphlet into a little ball with how tightly he clutched it. Despite how cramped it was, the metaphorical solitude of the train was a relief.

He fiddled with the hems of his sleeves nervously as he made his way through Aoyama-Itchome. He vaguely knew how to reach Shujin, and the neighborhood was only so big, he would find it eventually. And he had a good while until school let out, anyway. It took him another hour and a half to find his way to the school, and promptly sat himself down outside it, pressing his back to the cement...plant boxes? That was the only way he could describe them. He was tempted, for a moment, to pass the gates and sit himself on one of the ledges, but that might get him into trouble. Normally, he wouldn't really care about that, but he couldn't go getting hauled off for minor misdemeanors when he had a boyfriend to meet.

The time left passed fairly slowly, which he didn't mind as much as he thought he would. He gave an obligatory wave or nod to a few passersby who gave him more than a glance, but besides that, he had some time to relax. He ended up absorbed in music, so much so that he almost didn't notice when people came flooding out of the school's doors. He fumbled with his phone and headphones and staggered to his feet, needing a few moments to wake up his sleeping foot as he stuffed his things into his pocket. He made an effort to look cool and relaxed...up until he saw that familiar mop pass the gates.

"Akira!" he called out immediately, more of a squeal than anything. He rushed towards him and wrapped him in a tight hug, nearly lifting him off the ground (or he hoped so, anyway). He excitedly stepped back and took his boyfriend's hands, trying not to burst into tears, but hiding it well. "Look at you, oh my gosh - you never showed me this new uniform! It looks so cute on you, I love the little turtleneck," he babbled on, while Akira was more blankfaced than anything, and his apparent peers - a blond-haired boy and girl, each around Akira's height, though the boy slouched - gave each other confused looks. As he rambled on, eventually, Akira seemed to register the situation.

"Oh!" he chirped. "Oh, my goodness- when did you get here?" He wrapped Kennith in a tight hug of his own, smiling happily, and quickly going back to holding his hands once he released him.

"Last night, actually! I felt like surprisin' you - hope that was okay."

"It's more than okay!"

Akira moved to hug Kennith to his side with one arm, gesturing to him with his free hand. "Ryuji, Ann- this is Kennith! I don't think I told you about him...we were so wrapped up in the Kamoshida thing, it kind of slipped my mind. He moved from America recently! I've known him for a while, but we haven't gotten to actually meet in person until now."

Kennith couldn't help pressing against him, partially for the fact that he could, and partially to hide himself some. He hated meeting new people; it was lucky Akira was here. He could feel other pairs of eyes from lingering students drilling into his skull, and he could swear he heard whispering...

"Ken, these are some of my new friends! I know I mentioned them, right? This is Ryuji Sakamoto..."

"Yo," the blond boy interjected, giving a small two-finger salute.

"...and Ann Takamaki!"

"Hi!" the girl chimed in, giving a sweet smile, ( _Sickeningly so,_ ) and a wave of her own. Kennith only bowed his head in return. Akira gently squeezed his shoulder, and Kennith nearly melted at the soothing gesture. God, he was just going to be a lovestruck fool, wasn't he?

"Nice to meet you two," Kennith managed to force out, giving a small smile. He hated this, he hated this, _he hated this-_

"We're going to head out," Akira said to the two, smile ever-present on his face. "Text me if you need me, okay?" They each nodded, said their respective goodbyes, and made their ways back to their own homes. As soon as they were out of sight, Akira immediately turned to wrap his arms around Kennith's waist, holding him close. He touched his forehead to his and let out a soft breath, seeming to relax.

"You okay?"

Kennith nodded and wiped his eyes, hoping he wasn't tearing up. "Mm. Sorry to bug you like this- didn't know you had plans to hang out with anyone."

"No, no, you're alright! Really. Honestly, I'm glad you came along...this was just the thing I needed to brighten my day." He sounded so genuine, Kennith couldn't help smiling. "D'you wanna head to Leblanc? I think introducing you to Sojiro would be a good idea, now that I'm able to."

Kennith grimaced and groaned, leaning his head back some. "I mean...I can't say you're _wrong..._ Would you wanna meet Stephanie first?"

Akira paused. "I...don't know. You mentioned she can read lips, right?"

"Yeah, but your accent might make it a bit hard to read, and the only Japanese she knows is JSL. So, hold off, then?"

"Yeah, that might be best. I don't wanna force you to translate for me." He groaned again, which made Akira laugh softly. ( _That laugh melted his heart._ ) "Hey- how about, to make up for it, I treat you to some nice coffee? Sojiro's been teaching me how to brew it how he does, so I can work part-time in the shop, and I've been doing pretty good if I do say so myself- and I do."

That got a small snicker out of him. "You drive a hard bargain. Alright- let's get it over with, yeah?"

The entire way back to Leblanc was mostly a pep talk. Akira was perfectly calm, on the other hand. Before walking in, he grabbed Kennith's hand and laced their fingers, pressing a small kiss to his knuckles as extra reassurance. With Kennith sufficiently soothed, the two of them strolled in- at which point, Sojiro glanced up, and raised his brows.

"Sakura-san! I have someone I'd like you to meet- this is Kennith."

Sojiro seemed fairly unfazed. He didn't seem to realize particularly what was happening, as he chimed, "Aren't you two a bit old to be holding hands? You're like preschoolers." The two exchanged a look.

"Aren't _you_ a little old to be womanizing?" Akira threw back, which gave Kennith some confidence in chiming in.

"Sakura-san, I don't know if you know this, but there's this thing called _being gay._ You should look it up."

The two of them fell into a stifled giggle fit, while Sojiro fumbled for words, clearing his throat. "I- uh. I'm sorry for, uh, assuming- you two take it easy." He was clearly at a loss for words as Kennith scooted into one of the booths while he got back to work.

"Oh, my god- I think that's the _funniest_ way he could've responded," he giggled, keeping his hand over his mouth to help hide it. Akira nodded and tried to hide his own laughter.

"True- okay, lemme go change into my uniform, n' I'll get you that coffee I promised, yeah? On the house."

"Thank youuu, you're such an angel," he crooned, leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek, which he gladly leaned down to receive. As Akira went to change, Sojiro perked up again.

"Hey- if you're going to be working today, it's not gonna be _just_ for him, I hope you know."

"Of course, of course! S'why I'm getting the uniform," Akira said dismissively as he made his way upstairs, waving a hand behind him. Once he was out of earshot, Sojiro leaned on the counter, shooting Kennith not quite a glare, but certainly a look that made his stomach lurch.

"You'd better not go getting him into any trouble, alright? No matter if it's your fault or his, if he slips up, he's out of here. Understand?"

Kennith figured this was his version of a shovel talk, and gave a stiff nod.

"Good. And if he isn't good to you, you tell me. I'll kick his ass. I may not know exactly...how, this all works, but I'm still willing to teach him a lesson if he goes breaking any hearts."

That put him at ease. He nodded again, smiling some. "Of course, Sakura-san, thank you."

He only grunted before getting back to his work, somewhat awkwardly. Kennith couldn't help feeling appreciative for what care the old man managed to show. He leaned his head on his hand and closed his eyes, patiently waiting. He couldn't help, somehow, feeling at ease in this place. It already felt like home.

( _Or maybe that was all the love in his system._ )


	4. Confusing Confession

_-sorry this chapter is so dialogue-heavy! ughh it still turned out kinda short but i wanted to kinda get this out of the way, i have plans i wanna get to ;3c-_

"There's something I need to tell you."

Akira was looking him right in the eyes, holding his hands across a table in Leblanc, gently, always gently.

The day had gone as usual- wake up, wait for him at school, and come to Leblanc. Though, usual was a stretch of a word; he'd been busy lately, unable to spend as much time with him as he'd have liked to- busy with studying, he always said, even late into the night. It was that, or spending time with his friends, going out to eat or, again, studying. That didn't keep his mind from immediately racing to the worst. ( _He's breaking up with you, he's cheating on you, he's been expelled and he has to leave you behind again. The latter seemed most plausible, and he hated it. He had heard of the trouble he'd been getting into, lately, had the expulsion come sooner than expected?_ )

"It's nothing bad," he quickly assured, "just...something I've been debating revealing, for a little while now. It's a bit...farfetched. And I don't blame you if you don't believe me when I say this. It's about what has been keeping me so busy, this past while."

That soothed him some. ( _Only some._ )

The words that came from his mouth were something Kennith wouldn't forget. They were something fate wouldn't _let_ him forget.

"You know...the Phantom Thieves? You've heard the rumors?" After a silent, tense nod, Akira let out a soft breath, and squeezed his hands. His voice was low, and he leaned in as he spoke. "I am a Phantom Thief."

There was a pause. Kennith's voice sounded foreign to him when he spoke.

"...You're serious?" It wasn't said in a mocking manner, it was more inquisitive. Not so much skeptical as in disbelief.

"Mm. Ann and Ryuji; they are, too. As well as my cat, which will have to be explained later, it's too much for here." Another pause. He felt Akira fiddling with his fingers, nervous.

"So...all those nights you were studying..?"

"Meetings. Though I _was_ studying, other times- exams are coming up, after all."

"And...you're telling me this...why?"

A warm smile graced his features, his serious expression softening. "Well...you _are_ my boyfriend, after all. If there's anyone I'm going to tell first, it would be you. You deserve to know where I vanish off to, don't you?" A beat. "If you...believe me, that is." This was punctuated by Akira again gently tightening his grip, stiffening, seemingly in fear of what he might say.

After a moment, Kennith let out a sigh, letting his head drop down. "Y'know..." he hummed, "That's just crazy enough that I kind of believe you." He paused, and added on, "Now I can't...say I _entirely_ believe you, not until I see proof for myself. But...God, that look on your face tells me that even if you're lying, it's not anything meant to harm me."

Akira sighed gently, relieved. "I don't think I'd be able to prove it unless you had the Meta-Nav, but..."

Kennith looked up immediately, tilting his head. "The _what?_ " Akira hushed him, and he nodded, softly apologizing. "Sorry- the what?"

"The Meta-Nav. It's an app that lets you enter the Metaverse, which is where we sort of...do our thing, for lack of a better quick explanation. It just sort of appears on your phone, usually." He paused. "You don't...have it, do you?"

Kennith shrugged and made a soft "I dunno" noise, and let go of Akira's hands to rummage in his pockets for his phone. He handed it over, as if scared to look. "You tell me, I don't know what it looks like-" ( _He had a feeling, though._ )

Akira scrolled quietly, and went wide-eyed. "You do..!" A smile lit up his face, his eyes shining. "That's good, then..! Some small proof, since like you said, don't believe it 'til you see it."

He nudged the phone back across the table, retrieving his own. He silently searched something, and turned the screen to him, looking almost proud of himself. It seemed like a...forum? "This is the, uh...Phan-Site, as the founder put it. You can read on us and things we do here! Just...be sure not to say anything, about knowing that it's me." Kennith nodded, taking it all in. "We actually managed something recently! You remember the teacher I told you about, Kamoshida?" Another nod. The name held more weight, now, with what he had heard on the news. "He was our first, and so far, only...heist, maybe? I think that could be a good word."

Kennith was entirely silent. His expression was blank, but behind his eyes, gears were turning wildly, trying to process all of this. He simply let out a sigh, eventually, and just kind of...gave up. Time for questions.

"Okay, first off- how do you do what you do? That...stealing hearts business, that I've heard about." It was all rumors that he'd heard spread around more than anything, passing whispers on the campus and things.

Akira paused, as if pondering how to respond. "Well...in the Metaverse, people who have incredibly twisted desires can manifest this thing called a Palace. It represents their cognition- how they see the world. Inside of it is a Treasure, which is the desires themselves, and that's the heart we're speaking of. Kamoshida's Palace was a castle, because that was how he saw the school. Does...that make sense?"

He nodded slowly, before shaking his head. "Okay. I'm going to go ahead and- and pretend like I understood most of what you just said to me," he mumbled, moving one hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "And I'll...I'll do what I can to help, if anything."

"You can!" Akira chirped, lighting up. "You can give us intel, like another friend of mine, Mishima. He's the one who set up our Phan-Site. People report their problems there, and if there are especially bad ones, we go take care of them- though they don't...normally have a fully fledged Palace."

"I'm not even gonna bother asking how that works and just go with it," Kennith chuckled, his voice slightly strained and tired. Akira laughed softly, running a hand through his hair, his own smile looking drained of energy.

"I don't blame you. I still only barely understand it all." He lifted Kennith's hand and moved it to cup his cheek, closing his eyes and leaning into it, looking infinitely more tired. Kennith only just noticed the dark circles slowly deepening beneath his eyes. "Thank you for listening. I know it's all...crazy, and hard to understand, but I felt like...like I needed to tell you."

"Mm..." That was about all he could muster, for a moment. "...Are you okay with me telling Stephanie?"

Akira stiffened slightly. "I'd...prefer you didn't. Just because I haven't really met her yet, and I'm honestly not sure anyone would believe this unless it was coming from the source." Kennith nodded, understanding.

"Yeah, true...the only thing I'm still skeptical on is your _cat._ " Morgana let out an indignant meow from inside his bag, almost seeming offended, and Akira laughed.

"I don't blame you. He was actually the one that was most hesitant to tell you about all this. We kinda outnumbered him in votes, though."

"See, that's what I'm talking about," he laughed, "it's a _cat!_ "

"Oh! I should explain- uh...okay, so..." He paused again, thinking. "The Metaverse kind of runs on people's cognitions, which how they see the world. In the Metaverse, Morgana isn't a cat, because he doesn't see himself as one. We're working right now to kind of...figure out what's up with him. He thinks he's a human who lost his true form, and that's why he's able to talk there. Ryuji, Ann, and I can understand him outside the Metaverse, too- though to you, it all probably just sounds like senseless meowing." This was met with another angry-sounding meow, to which Akira just patted Morgana on the head.

Kennith nodded slowly. "Okay...that makes some sort of sense, I guess?" He sighed softly, allowing himself to just sit in silence with Akira for a moment. It was the first real moment of peace he'd felt that week.

"I think...I'm going to head home. You look absolutely wrecked, and I don't want to take any time that you could use for important things; you did mention you had exams coming." Kennith's voice was soft, not on purpose. He moved his hand to take Akira's again, and softly kissed his knuckles before standing. He leaned across to give him a chaste kiss goodbye, smiling again. "I'll see you later, okay? And I'll message if anything comes up. Love you."

"Love you too." Akira sounded far more tired than when they'd arrived back at Leblanc, but happy. He couldn't blame him for being tired, either- if all he'd said was true, it was bound to have had a strain on him. Not to mention, the toll of actually _exposing_ all of this, as well as having to gather the courage to do so. Akira needed his rest, and some time alone, he was sure.

There was a weight in his stomach as he made his way home, and he had no idea _why._ He didn't feel bad, necessarily, not as far as he could tell, and he hadn't eaten anything off that day... Maybe it was the weather? Or the weight of all he'd just been told? He couldn't be sure.

As soon as he got home, he wriggled out of his binder - though he hadn't been wearing it long at all, but just to be safe - and fell into bed, resolving to try and sleep the feeling off. He sent a text to Stephanie, letting her know he'd probably be napping when she arrived home, and fell into a restless, dreamless sleep. He couldn't help a sinking feeling that this would only make it worse. ( _Though whether "it" was his physical or mental state, he wasn't entirely sure, yet._ )


	5. Sinking Feeling

Things continued on as normal for them. There wasn't really much discussion of the whole Phantom Thief business, beyond the occasional "I won't be available, have a heist to pull" and Akira being less reserved about responding to things Morgana said - meowed?

That is, until he received a text, mentioning a name he'd heard often lately.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Hey, since I'm finally free, I'm letting you know we're going to investigate Madarame today. Or, sort of?  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** We arranged to meet up with his pupil today, so we're heading right over there once school is out. I don't think the others would mind you coming along, since it's not exactly the most dangerous thing, so would you like to?

He paused for a moment, and pondered going along. He did say it wouldn't be dangerous...and it would be a nice opportunity to spend some time with him, and get some more info on exactly what it was they did. He hadn't bothered asking before, or hadn't remembered to, anyway.

 **Ken:** ya sure! dw i wont go butting too much into all your ~official business~ and whatnot  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** All right! We'll meet up in Shibuya.  
 **Ken:** see you theeen cutie

He couldn't help being anxious as he got ready. This was, in a way, official Phantom Thieves business. This wasn't just some silly meeting, or a group hang out, this was detective work. And he was going to play a part in it, at least somewhat. He could be _important._

That thought scared him.

He managed to get himself ready and out of the house in time to wait for Akira. He couldn't help feeling a bit more closed-off as he waited, tugging his sleeves to be _sure_ that they hid his scars every 10 seconds. Seeing that familiar mop emerge from the station eased his worries, somewhat. He hurried over so fast he nearly tripped, and took Akira's hand immediately, settling himself at his side and lacing their fingers. He gave a silent greeting to Ann and Ryuji, which they happily returned. They already seemed to like him more than he liked them.

He only picked up on bits and pieces of their conversation, focusing more on trying to look calmer than he was. The arrival at the shack was less of a blessing than he'd hoped it would be. Ann pushed the buzzer, and he bit his lip. His voice wasn't too high, right?

"Who is it?" That deep voice told him _yes, yes it was._ "Sensei is currently-"

"Um, it's Takamaki," Ann interrupted. She sounded just as nervous as he felt, which was somewhat reassuring.

"Ah- I'll be right out!" the voice chirped. Kennith steeled himself and squeezed Akira's hand, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He could meet a new person. This would be fine. The door slid open sooner than he had expected, and he couldn't help going wide-eyed when he saw the boy standing there. Pretty.

"Takamaki-s-" he stopped mid-word, shooting a glare towards Ryuji and Akira. "...You two are here, as well?" His gaze drifted to Kennith, and his stare nearly stopped his heart. "As well as...you. I don't remember seeing you, the other day."

Kennith froze for a moment. "I, uh- I'm his boyfriend," he explained hastily, lifting up his and Akira's linked hands. The boy nodded, seeming to find that explanation satisfactory enough. Ryuji took a step forward, seeming to push past the awkward moment.

"That aside, ah...we didn't exactly come here to talk about the modeling thing." Kennith wondered exactly what "modeling thing" was being talked about. "We needed to ask you somethin'. Is it true that Madarame is plagiarizin' other people's work? Abusin' people, too?"

As soon as the _a-word_ left Ryuji's mouth, Kennith stiffened. The boy, however, didn't seem nearly as bothered - not in the same way, at least.

"Are you serious?"

"We read about it online." Kennith cringed at that, subtly. You never say that about this sort of thing. The boy stepped out, getting right up in Ryuji's face. He looked _offended_ by the notion.

"This..?" The boy started _laughing,_ as if in disbelief. "Preposterous! Not only is the plagiarism _impossible_ , but _abuse_? If he hated children so much to harm them, he would never allow pupils into his home! And _I'm_ the one residing here and studying under him. I'm saying it's not true, so it's beyond doubt."

Kennith's heart dropped when he heard those words, and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He wanted to speak up, to say something, but his throat was too tight, too dry. He almost teared up. Hearing those words from someone else's mouth _hurt._ He knew the tactics a victim had to use to be sure no one would find out, or else it would only get worse. He was thankful that Ryuji spoke up in his place, though he hated the harsh tone.

"You might be lyin' about it!" He wanted so badly to add on.

"That..." The boy paused, looking away. That hesitation, the shake to his voice, was something Kennith knew too well. He hated seeing someone else experience it. "...That is utter rubbish." The boy seemed to quickly regain his nerves. "I had no family when Sensei took me in and raised me into what you see now! If you continue to ridicule the man I owe my life to, you will rue this day!"

His voice was too quiet for anyone besides himself to hear as he croaked out, "You don't owe him _shit._ " The words he had told himself for years, and yet he couldn't tell them to someone else. He felt pathetic.

"...You really think that?" Ann chided, and Kennith wanted so badly to scream at her for her tone.

"Yusuke?" Kennith felt a cold chill go down his spine when the man emerged, and his stomach turned. That tone _scared_ him. "What's the matter? I heard you yelling."

"These people are _slandering_ you with baseless rumors!" the boy - Yusuke, he noted - cried.

The man seemed calm, but Kennith didn't trust it. "...Forgive them, Yusuke. They must have heard some bad rumors and came in worry for their friend's safety."

The way Yusuke sighed as he looked down and responded with only a subdued, "Understood, Sensei," made his heart lurch. He didn't trust the man, who he could only assume was Madarame.

"Well, even I doubt that a cranky old man like myself could be liked by everyone," Madarame joked, and Kennith clenched his teeth.

"That's not what we meant..!" Ann protested, and Kennith desperately wanted to shout that it was _certainly_ what he meant. He hoped he didn't look too upset.

"I'm sorry to have butt in on your conversation," Madarame said, seemingly calm. "However, I do have neighbors around. Won't you please keep it down?" The all-too-familiar condescending tone made him sick. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He felt infinitely more relaxed once Madarame left, and let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

"That was...discourteous of me. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be," Kennith replied immediately, which was quickly met with a glare from Ryuji, as if to say otherwise. "You were just tryin' to defend someone you...care about, hun. S'completely understandable."

"Nonetheless, I apologize for being aggressive." Yusuke paused for a moment, and lit up. "I know! I think you'll be able to believe in Sensei if you saw the painting for yourselves." This was about when he tuned out, just sort of digging his nails into his arm, running through it all over and over in his head. It was textbook, in his mind. To the others, it _clearly_ wasn't as obvious, or else they'd speak up.

Or maybe he was imagining things? Maybe the cold chill was just from what he'd heard, combined with his own experiences, warping his perceptions? That was entirely a possibility - if people's "cognitions" were so strong that they could shape parts of another, unseen world, that could be just as dangerous as his assumptions. But he just couldn't shake that sick, shaky feeling, formed into a rock and settled deep in his gut. His worries only grew once Yusuke went back inside.

"Those two...seem like nice guys, don't they?" Ryuji pondered. Kennith couldn't keep his feelings bottled up anymore.

"Yusuke, absolutely," he added, his voice quiet unintentionally. He was almost afraid Madarame would hear him.

"Maybe...maybe the Madarame we heard about in Mementos was a different person?" Ann offered, sounding nervous herself. It took everything in Kennith not to scream.

" _No._ " He was surprised by how forceful it came out, and slightly startled by the stares it earned him. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and leaned his head on Akira's shoulder. His voice was more choked when he spoke again. "Sorry, sorry- just...I dunno if it's my- my history, or whatever, but...he gives me a really, really bad feeling. I know I'm not...part of your whole, operation, but I don't think you should leave this be. Even if you don't wanna try changing his heart, something is _wrong._ "

Akira nodded slightly, as if agreeing. Morgana meowed gently from where he sat, and Akira and Ann both retrieved their phones. Ryuji glanced from Kennith to Akira, as if nervous to do the same.

"He knows, it's fine," Akira said gently, and Ryuji nodded, taking out his own phone. Kennith chose not to.

A robotic voice came from the app. " _Location found._ " Kennith's eyes widened, and he leaned to peer at Akira's screen.

"The app..." Ryuji mumbled, incredulous.

"Was it picking up on our conversation..?" Ann wondered aloud, her eyes widening subtly. "The display...that must mean Madarame has a Palace, too, right?! But why..?"

Kennith was torn between a feeling of terror, and pride. Pride in his correct assumption, but a paralyzing, freezing terror for Yusuke. He was right. That meant Yusuke was going through the same pain he had. He hated his watchful eye.

"He's an abusive shitbag, is why..." Kennith mumbled, though Morgana's simultaneous meow hid it.

"For real, though, what the hell's goin' on..? Does an old man like him really have a Palace..?" Kennith envied Ryuji's trusting nature. He moved away from Akira, his body language becoming more closed off.

"I think...I'm gonna head home," he mumbled. "Babe, jus'- text me when you can. See you." He felt shaky as he walked away, not even bothering to get a hug before he went. He just needed to process this. He ran through plan after plan after plan in his head of how to help, but each one fell short. Illogical, unsafe, illogical, not enough information, etc.

Upon returning home, he gave Stephanie his best puppy-dog eyes and opened his arms, which she knew by now meant he needed a hug, desperately. He only let go when she needed to get to her job, and even then, it was reluctant.

After a few moments of still silence, he moved to his desk, and got working on another project. Working would help. It was better than anything else he could do right now, anyway. Stephanie would kill him if he tried anything else.

- _sorry this one took so long! got absorbed in other things and lost interest for a while, hoping to keep updates semi-regular!-_


	6. Decisions

- _DOUBLE UPDATE BC ITS A GOOD DAY TODAY, might be more bc im super excited to get to one part :3c-_

Kennith's lids were heavy when he got another text from Akira - or rather, when he finally noticed he'd gotten texts. He blearily rubbed his eyes and checked the time. 7 am. Just great. He picked up his phone, scanning over the messages.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Hey, we just got back. I'm heading home for tonight, and I'm probably gonna hit the hay as soon as I do. Love you.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Good morning! I'm heading out to school, I hope you slept well. I'll let you know if anything comes up!

He groaned softly, getting up and trudging to his bed. He wriggled out of his binder, finally noticing the sharp pain in his ribs. Tears stung his eyes as he forced himself to take deep breaths and stretch until the pain subsided. He laid carefully on his bed before returning the text.

 **Ken:** have a good daaaay, i was up all night workin again so im gonna nap  
 **Ken:** i love yooou! im settin an alarm so i can wake up when you get out so i wont be out all day dw  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** You remembered to take your binder off, yeah?  
 **Ken:** just did, oops  
 **Ken:** im good though, stretched and coughed n stuff, took deep breaths, pains gone now  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** I'll trust that you know your body, and that you're okay. I love you!  
 **Ken:** love ya toooo, now go to school doofus

His sleep was unremarkable. No dreams at all, and he woke up groggy with his alarm at 3 pm. 1 new message, from lunch.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Nothing interesting about school today, but we'll be going to see Yusuke again after, Ann's going to be modeling for him.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** If you'd like, you can come with. You seem like you have a better sense for people's intentions and that sort of thing, and since we're doing this to get information, it would be nice to have you there.

He didn't respond. He silently got dressed, deciding against putting his binder back on, despite how much he wanted to. A big sweatshirt was enough.

It took him a good half an hour to steel himself enough to leave. He shook as he gripped the bathroom sink, fighting back a wave of nausea. It would be fine. It would be absolutely fine. He knew he didn't have to go, he knew he had the choice to stay away, but he had to help. He needed to do something, however little it was.

He met up with them outside Yusuke's house, rather than at Shibuya. He hadn't wanted to wait.

He was incredibly quiet for the duration of the visit, listening intently, making mental notes. He'd immediately sat on the floor, between Akira's legs, not wanting Yusuke to risk going and finding a fourth seat.

The house was shabby, but Yusuke's room was fairly well kept. ( _It felt cruel to force children to live here for his own humility, but faking decency could only go so far._ ) Yusuke spoke softly, but in a controlled manner, like he was afraid to be loud. ( _He knew the feeling._ ) He seemed more closed off, and sank into a silent world when he was painting, focusing intently. A coping mechanism, maybe? Kennith was the same way with his computers, he always had been.

The signs were there, and no matter what he did to try and dispel them, ( _Yusuke might just be quiet, maybe he's autistic like you and just really likes his art, maybe Madarame simply donates a lot to charity so he is only able to afford necessities, maybe, maybe, maybe_ ) it all cycled back to abuse in his mind.

Everyone else being so casual, it almost made him sick. However, as the painting went on, he felt himself dozing off. One minute, he was watching Yusuke intently...and the next, he was being gently shaken awake, his head against Akira's thigh.

"...I'm sorry, but we'll have to resume this another time," he managed to catch Yusuke saying. He looked up to Akira sleepily.

"How much did I miss..?"

"Not a lot," he whispered. "Yusuke's having trouble focusing, is all."

"Oh _hell_ no! How many hours do you think you made us wait?!" Ryuji cried, the volume waking Kennith up significantly. Akira stood, and gently helped Kennith to his feet, though he immediately sat down again.

"I'm sorry... We had another reason for seeing you today. We needed to talk to you," Ann explained. Kennith went stiff.

"It's about those rumors regarding your sensei," Ryuji added on. He felt nausea rising in his stomach again. He stood, albeit hesitantly. He simply let the others talk, knowing he wouldn't be able to help much like this.

"This again..." Yusuke groaned. Ann was quick to get back on topic, not allowing him to derail.

"That painting I saw at the exhibit... You're the one who actually painted it, right?"

"That..." Kennith took a breath. The pain in his voice was too familiar.

"I knew it." Ann's voice was soft, filled with sympathy.

"Your sensei's seriously messed up," Ryuji harshly interjected. "He just thinks of his pupils as tools. That's why he doesn't give a damn whether he steals their work or physically beats them." Ryuji leaned in closer, and Kennith tensed. "I'll make this clear. There's no point in hidin' stuff from us."

Before Yusuke could speak up, Kennith pushed Ryuji back, glaring daggers at him silently. When he turned to Yusuke, his expression was one of empathy. "What he means, is that it's okay for you to speak up if somethin's wrong. You're not obligated to reveal anythin', hun, but I promise, it won't leave this room. All we wanna do is help."

Ryuji opened his mouth to speak, but Yusuke did first. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he insisted, but Kennith could read his expression like a book. Fear was clear in his eyes.

"You couldn't go against him, could you? I'm sure we can help you out, though..." Ann kept her voice soft as she spoke. Kennith felt it sounded like she was talking to a child, and it made him beyond angry. He hid it well.

"Stop it..." Yusuke spoke through gritted teeth, before seeming to suppress his anger, and relax. "It's just as you all say. We're...our sensei's 'artwork'." Kennith was the only one who didn't seem surprised. "Don't misunderstand me, though. I offered my ideas to him myself. As such, it can't be called plagiarism." It almost seemed like it pained him to be saying this. "Sensei is simply suffering from artist's block right now."

"Dude, still...!" Ryuji protested. Kennith nodded.

"Hun, every artist goes through blocks. That doesn't mean he's got the right to take credit for _your_ work, regardless of if you offer it to him. A real artist would never resort to bullshit like that."

Yusuke was silent, his eyes cast to the ground. Ryuji was the first to raise his voice, as always.

"Right! Why're you even stickin' around, huh? All his other pupils have left - aren't you the only one left?"

"What's wrong with a pupil helping out his master!?" The response was immediate, and aggressive. "There are no victims here! Stop pushing your self-centered righteousness on me!" Yusuke growled. Kennith's hands balled into fists at his sides for a brief moment.

"Yusuke..." His voice was gentle. "Honey, I'm sayin' this right out, so you can trust what I'm about to say. I've been where you are, in a way. You feel obligated t'help him out, for whatever reason, I won't pry as to what it is - but. All this, to me, is textbook. No matter what he did for you then, he's hurtin' you now, n' it's not right."

A brief pause.

"Now, I'm gonna say again. You're not obligated to tell us anythin'. But you have to realize, this isn't right. If he's holdin' what he did over your head to make you help him, then he didn't do it out of the goodness of his heart."

His voice trembled slightly as he trailed off. He swore he could feel three sets of eyes boring into the back of his head. Yusuke was silent for a moment.

"...I'm supporting Sensei as his pupil," he insisted. "Where's the wrong in that?"

"There's nothin' wrong with you, Yusuke. It's him." Kennith worried he hadn't spoken loud enough as Yusuke sat down, hanging his head.

"Don't ever come here again... If you do, I'll sue you for causing a disturbance."

"Hold on, we're not done talkin' here!" Ryuji yelled. Kennith held an arm out, though he knew full well he wasn't strong enough to hold Ryuji back.

"Yes, we are." His voice was as firm as he could make it. "We've done all we can for now, s'fine."

"It is _not_ fine!"

Yusuke stood, taking out his phone, deceivingly calm all the while. "Then you leave me with no choice... I'm reporting you to the police. I asked Takamaki-san to be my model today, but I don't recall ever calling _you_ three here!"

"What the eff, man?!"

Ann glared at Ryuji, pushing him back with Kennith. "Ryuji, _stop it!_ Calm down, okay?" Ryuji swore under his breath, taking a step back.

Yusuke put his phone away while Ryuji seethed. "I won't report you...but only under one condition."

"Oh no," Kennith and Akira mumbled.

Ann took the opportunity to ask, "What's that?"

Yusuke looked much more calm when he made his request. "I want you to continue being my model, Takamaki-san."

"But...you said that it wasn't working out today?"

"That's because I was...unconsciously being modest, for your sake. However, I have nothing to worry about anymore; if you're willing to bare everything to me..."

Kennith, Akira, and Ryuji exchanged a mutual unnerved look.

"...I will put my heart and soul into creating the best nude painting ever!"

"Oh, I thought that was going to be a much worse reveal," Kennith mumbled. He couldn't help being amused by the reactions from Ryuji and Ann, however.

"Ah...to think I'd be able to create a nude painting, with my most ideal model..!" Yusuke returned to his serious disposition as he turned from Ann. "Of course, you three won't be allowed in, and I ask that you forget about our discussion today, as well. If I don't submit a new piece to Sensei soon, there will be some... inconveniences."

Any semblance of happiness Kennith had withered away, but he kept a small smile on his face. Focus on the positive.

"Nude, meaning it'll be without any clothes, right?! Why are things suddenly escalating like that?!" Ann shrieked, already moving to cover herself, despite being fully clothed.

"Because those are my terms." Kennith bit back a laugh. That smug son of a bitch.

"But that's-"

Ryuji quickly cut Ann off with a protest of his own. "Wait, ain't that bad?!"

"Sensei is out during the afternoon while the art exhibit is on," Yusuke calmly explained, "so I can use this place freely... I should buy more art supplies..!"

"Will you give me a second here?!" Ann cried, her cheeks by now a bright, cherry red.

"Of course! I'm willing to wait," Yusuke assured, seeming to miss the point. "I'll make time according to your plans. But, please come before the exhibit ends."

" _No!_ That's not what I mean! Why are you not listening..?!"

Yusuke calmly moved past her question. "Sensei will be returning home soon. We're done for today." He turned to Ann, smiling sweetly. "Takamaki-san, I'll be waiting for you to contact me."

"No no no, we are _not_ done talking here!" Ann insisted, though Yusuke had already gotten to searching for more supplies, it seemed.

"Uh...what should we do..?" Ryuji whispered, leaning over to Akira. He was so quiet, Kennith could barely hear him.

"I...don't know, actually," Akira admitted, running a hand through his hair.

Despite Ann's further protests, Ryuji and Akira had already resigned Ann to her fate and calmly made their way out, Akira gently guiding Kennith by his shoulder.

Once they were outside, Ann's protests only grew more insistent, not to mention high-pitched.

" _He's totally out of his mind!_ I'm gonna have to pose nude if this keeps up!"

Kennith spoke up calmly, his arms crossed over his chest. "Honey, just relax, deep breath. You remember what he said, yeah? 'I have no interest in her as a member of the opposite sex,' or whatever. That is code for, 'I'm so far in the closet, I'm talking to a lion.'" This earned him a punch in the arm from Akira, albeit a gentle one, before he continued. "What I'm _saying_ is, even if you have to do it, there's no chances he'll do anything funny. It's purely for artistic purposes, anyway." He paused a moment, racking his brain. "I was about to offer you one of my nude binders, for some more coverage, but that would probably just make him upset...not to mention, I doubt we're the same size."

" _Drop it!_ " Ann insisted, before Ryuji could speak up and add on. He continued anyway, calm.

"You won't have to worry about it if we get Madarame to 'fess up before the exhibit ends."

"But Kitagawa-kun thinks he owes his life to him. Is there a need to make Madarame confess?"

Kennith cut in before she could continue, his voice cold. "Yes. There absolutely is, Ann. He's manipulating him. If someone holds their status as a caretaker over your head to make you do shit for 'em, then they're shit at takin' care of you, really. If we let this go on, it'll only get worse." A pause. "... _Yusuke_ will only get worse."

Ryuji nodded solemnly. "This shithead's no different than Kamoshida. He's usin' Yusuke since he hasn't got parents. Are you sayin' we should just ignore the way he's bein' treated, like the other pupils were?"

Ann paused. "I...no," she finally decided. "It's frustrating to leave this alone, even if Kitagawa-kun is fine with it..."

Kennith held him back from saying, "he isn't fine with it". He couldn't speak for him.

"In any case," Ryuji piped up, "we've gotta go after this guy. Madarame's the kind of target we've been waitin' for. Let's help Yusuke come to his senses, too." There was a somber pause. "...Before he ends up like us."

He had a hard time keeping up with the conversation once Morgana got involved. He simply didn't listen, and sent Stephanie a quick text to let her know he'd be home soon, and he was sorry for being out so long.

"I'm gonna head back early again." Kennith put his phone back in his pocket, trying his best to keep a calm face. "I don't think I can help much, so...let me know how it goes, I guess?" He started his walk back to the train station, waving as he did, with a dismissive "Night!"

He hated how useless he felt to them. All he could do was wish them luck, and act as a fourth - or fifth? - wheel when they were investigating. There had to be something he was able to do, he figured, something that was actually useful.

That use, he realized, came in the form of his resilience. He made a resolution to himself; no matter what it took, even if it killed him, he would contribute to the Phantom Thieves in their fight.

Next time, anyway.


	7. Resolve

There wasn't anything to do but wait for a signal. A sign that there was a new target. Thankfully, there wasn't too much waiting to do. Mere days after Madarame sobbing his eyes out on national TV, Kennith's phone pinged.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** So. We've been found out.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** But, it isn't all bad. The girl - Makoto - has a target for us. Or, she supposedly does. We won't know for sure until tomorrow.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** I'm letting you know now, in case anything happens.

He smiled brightly, starry-eyed. This was his chance. His joy was punctuated by another message.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** You can't come, since Makoto doesn't know about you. Or at least, she doesn't know that you know about us.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** I'll update you, okay?  
 **Ken:** np np! best of luck, i'll bash her face in for you if she pulls anything  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** That's my special guy.

Kennith spent his time that day gathering provisions. He sharpened his pocket knife and shone it to perfection, admiring his reflection in it. He considered buying a gun, but went against it, knowing he didn't have the money for that. He made himself some crude armor from spare metal - guards for his arms and shins, mainly - and made adjustments to an old shirt to make a crude, "bulletproof" vest. Stabproof may have been more appropriate. It wasn't much at all, but it was all he was able to do, and he would be damned if he wasn't going to push that as far as he could.

His update didn't offer too much information, the next day.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** So, turns out, she was telling the truth. The only problem is, we don't know anything about the target.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** She says it's a mafia boss, and that they mainly do their business in Shibuya, and that's it.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** I would ask you to help us search for info, but there isn't really anywhere to search that we don't already have covered...I wouldn't want to put that stress on you anyway.  
 **Ken:** wow okay thats serious  
 **Ken:** let me know if there's anything i can do to help, yeah? n update me when u get more info  
 **Ken:** and lemme know when u do the heist, i dont want it gettin in the way of our plans or somethin  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Well, our time limit is two weeks, so make of that what you will.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** I'll be busy with this, so we might only be able to text for a bit, sorry about that. I love you.  
 **Ken:** love you too knucklehead

Perfect. All he had to do was prepare, and wait. The updates were sporadic - and, admittedly, worrying. Having to do with a drug trafficking scheme, being forced to try and get involved with it himself...not to mention the joking 'I'm going to Shinjuku, if something happens then you get Morgana' text. Soon after that, though, his salvation arrived.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** We have a name! Junya Kaneshiro.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Or, that's what we think the name is. Not 100%, but a full name that isn't a student is the most conclusive lead we've gotten so far.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** We're going to do some extra research tomorrow. I'll update you.

Before Kennith could respond, another text popped up.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Don't come to the meeting, though, okay? This is serious business. I don't want you getting wrapped up in all this, after being seen with us.

He paused, and pondered. Well...a white lie wouldn't hurt anyone.

 **Ken:** of course, yeah! dw i'll keep away this time  
 **Ken:** i love yooou, make sure you dont talk too loud  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** You ought to be telling that to Ryuji, not me.

That was followed quickly by another text.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Speaking of Ryuji, he seems popular here. Be back later, gotta help him out.

A pause.

 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Uhh, nevermind? I think he'll be fine. Just tired.  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** Very tired.  
 **Ken:** well, thats ominous,  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** It's fine, really. I think. I'm pretty sure.  
 **Ken:** if hes dead im not being your alibi  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** That's fair.  
 **Ken:** i'll bail u out though if you get arrested for it  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** My knight in shining pastels. I'm swooning.  
 **Ken:** oh, hush, n get your butt home, its late  
 **Akira Cute-rusu:** I was about to, yeah. I think I'll head to bed once I get home, so goodnight! I love you, sweet dreams.  
 **Ken:** you tooo nerdball ily

He messaged Stephanie immediately to tell her what he was doing tomorrow. Or, part of it - that he was going to Shibuya. He wasn't going to spill to her, not yet.

His plan was simple: head to Shibuya with his Nav, and eavesdrop. He wasn't entirely lying...he wasn't at the meeting at all, he was just...near it. He had to help, no matter what it took. He was sure to disguise himself as best he could - a baggy sweatshirt, a surgical mask, a beanie, the works. He brought a bag full of his equipment, just to be safe.

The waiting was tedious, and anxiety-inducing. He was sure to lower his head when he noticed the group congregating, and casually strolled as close as he could without being noticed. He kept his phone muted, as well, simply keeping an eye on the display as the spoke. He'd already entered Kaneshiro's name - that part had been easy enough to guess. Now he just needed to see what happened.

The further wait was agonizing. But the same instant that Yusuke's phone buzzed with a hit, so did Kennith's. Junya Kaneshiro saw all of Shibuya as his bank. He waited a good stretch of time after the thieves entered the Metaverse - or, that's what he assumed they did. He couldn't show up at the same time as they did, that would be suspicious. And Akira would kill him for sneaking along.

He went to press the button and confirm...but froze. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't know what he would see there, or what would happen. He didn't even know if he'd be able to handle things alone. He simply sighed, closed out of the Nav, and put his phone back in his pocket.

He had made progress. If they didn't do everything they needed to this time, he'd make his way in and help next time.

The update he got from Akira was useful, as vague as it was; "We weren't able to do much, but we ended up finding the palace. Flies around, weirdly enough." He wondered briefly if he could construct a grappling hook, or something... If it flew, it was bound to be up high, and he couldn't help if he couldn't even reach the damn thing.

He sighed softly. He just had to wait. It was always some stupid, shitty waiting game.

He just had to remain diligent. Any opportunity he had, anything that might help him, he had to take it.

He couldn't help a somber chuckle. Who knew that self-destructive tendencies had such potential to help others? And at the same time, such a chance to ruin everything.

This was where the question came: what did he value more? Being useful to Akira, and furthering their pursuit of the greater good? Or staying safe, and making a humble life with his friends? He hated to think about it. And so he didn't.

He had to do anything to be useful. Even if it killed him.

That might be better, anyway, he thought. He wouldn't be around to get in the way, and he could do something useful. Be an inspiration - a martyr. A man who died trying to defend the people he loved, and offer his help to them. That wouldn't be such a bad way to be remembered.

 _If this is what kills me_ , he thought, _I'm going out in a blaze of goddamn glory._

- _a little on the short side, but im at least glad its over a thousand words ;P-_


	8. Run-In

- _THIS ONE GOT A LOT LONGER THAN EXPECTED SO ITS BEEN SPLIT INTO TWO CHAPTERS! THE SECOND HALF WILL BE POSTED LATER!-_

The gathering made him almost impatient. He wanted to figure out what in the hell he was meant to _do,_ if anything. He needed to formulate his own plans. It was tough to do that here.

He scowled slightly as Makoto - that was her, right? She fit the description - approached the group, radiating an energy of power. He hadn't really paid much attention to the conversation, doing his best to zone out and try to think, until she showed up.

"What do you want?" Ann huffed.

"Nothing in particular. I just, saw you all together here," she hummed.

Ryuji scoffed, spitting a defensive, "That so?"

Curious eyes drifted to Kennith. "I don't recognize you." She was blunt. He hated that already. He only half-noticed the way Akira shifted, as if guarding him.

"Kennith. Nice t'meet you, I s'pose," he said, forcing himself to keep a courteous tone.

"He's new in the area," Akira added, "so you don't need to involve him." Kennith wanted to object, but that protective, caring tone stopped him. He couldn't go scaring him like that. Makoto rolled her eyes, seeming exasperated.

"In any case," she continued, "it just seemed like you were all having a bit of trouble."

"Oh, so you're here to check up on us?" Ann's tone was laced with venom. "You may be student council president, but when it comes to what we do, you're _useless._ "

Makoto's calm face broke for a moment, giving way to a kind of hurt that hit too close to home. "Useless..?"

"To be frank, yes." Yusuke's cold acceptance of it hurt, and he wasn't even on the receiving end.

"Hey," Kennith piped up, "c'mon, chill." He was annoyed by the girl already, sure, but he hated throwing around the u-word. Ann only huffed, leaning back against the railing, aloof.

"Just stay on your high horse and watch," she continued, almost seeming to ignore him. "Or do you wanna eavesdrop, since you're so good at it?" A twinge of guilt flickered in his chest at that. Another thing he wouldn't be able to tell them. ( _Unless he was found out. He didn't want to think about that._ )

Makoto looked away silently, taking a shaky breath, before regaining her steely composure and looking Akira in the eyes. "So, you wish to get in contact with Kaneshiro." It was a statement more than it was a question of confirmation, almost accusing. "That is what you were just discussing, weren't you? It seemed you just needed to find out where he is." Kennith wondered briefly how much else she had heard.

Akira was silent for a moment. "Something like that." Kennith reached for his hand, wanting to give a comforting squeeze, but hesitated and let his own hand fall to his side.

"Hey, y-you don't gotta answer her honestly!" Kennith thumped Ryuji on the back, both to comfort, and signal he should be quiet.

"Kinda does, bucko - if I recall, not bein' honest is what dragged y'all into this situation anyway." The only response he was given was a pout.

Makoto had seemed to curl in on herself slightly, a hand over her mouth. Kennith could barely make out a mumbled, "I'm not..." The rest was unintelligible.

"...Whhhat was that?" Ryuji asked, and Kennith thumped him again, this time in the back of the head. Ryuji stifled a yelp.

"Fine. I'll help you meet Kaneshiro," Makoto continued. Her voice was tense, as if she was forcing it out. Before anyone could question her, she was walking away, her heels clicking menacingly.

"What exactly is she planning on doing?" Yusuke mused.

"She had a dead-serious look in her eyes..." Ryuji's wording worried him a bit.

"Don't say dead," Kennith said, voice slightly trembling. "We're talkin' about a mafia boss or whatever, I don't want any of us to jinx it."

"You are correct," Yusuke continued, "which is why I'm confused about her storming off that way. Does this mean she has an idea as to where Kaneshiro may be?"

"I highly doubt that," Ann sighed.

"And I don't," Kennith interjected, shifting nervously. "If it's so easy to get swept up in all this, I wouldn't doubt she's got some leads."

Ann paused for a brief moment, before running off in the same direction Makoto had gone, letting out a noise of frustration. "What is _up_ with her?!" The others rushed after her, though Kennith groaned to himself softly.

"God dammit, why _running,_ I hate running," he whined to no one in particular, before hurrying off after them. He was barely paying attention to where they were going, only stopping when he bumped into Akira's back, panting. "I hate this, and I hate you for making me run, I have my binder on for fuck's sake," he wheezed, his forehead resting between Akira's shoulder blades.

There was a distressed meow, followed by Ryuji crying out, "We're never gonna find her!" Kennith managed to mumble "Oh, we're looking for her?" though he seemed to be the only one who heard. It was right at that moment that Akira's phone rang.

Over the line, he heard, albeit barely, "Hello? It's me...Makoto Niijima. Just stay on the phone and listen. Make sure you record the call, as well."

With a wheezing breath, Kennith managed to say, loudly, "Fuck you!" before returning to catching his breath.

He heard Ann's shoes click softly, followed by her chiming, "Huh? Who is it?"

"S'the bitch who made us run all the way out here, that's who," Kennith grumbled, finally moving to stand on his own again.

Makoto's voice rang out again, louder this time. "Do you guys know Kaneshiro?" Kennith's eyes widened. He thumped himself on the chest and coughed into his elbow, preparing himself to get running again. It made the breathing a little easier. He only picked up on the details from what others said - Central Street. Oh boy.

He was grateful for the adrenaline as they got running again, though he was half tempted to just head into a near building and get out of his binder beforehand. All this running couldn't be good for his ribs.

"What is she _thinkin'?!_ " cried Ryuji. Kennith was surprised that they'd fallen into step with each other, until he noticed how the others were further ahead.

"My guess is she's- she's never had- had a run-in with organized crime," Kennith panted. "That's the thing, she's not- not thinkin' at _all!_ "

"Oh yeah?" Ryuji's tone was somewhat snide. "You say that like you _have_ had run-ins!"

"Honey, if there's one thing you gotta learn, s'that people ain't always what they seem!" was the least incriminating response he could give.

He stumbled to a stop with the others in front of an alleyway. After a moment of tripping over his own feet, he backtracked, astonished that he wasn't half-dead from that run. More a third-dead, he thought, as he placed his hands on his knees. He barely registered the sound of an engine revving away.

"Hey, wasn't that-" Ryuji was interrupted by a meow. Kennith groaned.

"Jesus H. Christ, s'like I'm not even here," he mumbled to himself, standing up with a sway and rubbing his temples.

"She still on?" Ann's voice was filled with some mix of anger and worry. He didn't bother listening, up until Ann continued, "We gotta go after her!" Kennith let out a loud, weary groan, before setting off again. He kept a hand linked to Akira's shirt hem. He didn't register when they stopped, leading to another small collision, but he couldn't help being relieved when he realized what was happening. _They were calling a cab._ He wearily glanced to Yusuke, who seemed to be drawing. ( _Not exactly a good time, but sure, why not?_ )

"Okay, I've got their license plate." ( _Or not._ ) "My sketching skills have come in handy."

Kennith stared wide-eyed. He barely even noticed what Ryuji was doing, up until he heard tires screech. He moved his astonished gaze to Ryuji, and barked out a sharp and very amused, " _Ha!_ " He moved to slide into the taxi before Ryuji could encourage the others, grateful for the chance to finally sit down.

As the taxi sped along, the realization struck him. They were about to meet Kaneshiro. This was, possibly, going to be his chance to figure out how in the hell he was meant to get inside that Palace. The thought almost made him angry. This opportunity was just falling into his lap. He wanted to appreciate it, but at the same time...he wanted to do it himself.

The rush into Kaneshiro's hiding spot was mostly a blur. He wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion making him lose his focus, or if he was just too selfish to pay attention to anything but what Kaneshiro was doing. Akira gently set a hand on his shoulder after a moment, knocking him out of his daze, at least somewhat.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He wondered vaguely what Yusuke was referring to.

 _Dammit, now is not the time to be spacing out!_ he internally yelled. _Focus, focus, you might still have a chance._

He was brought out of his thoughts once again by the flash of a camera. "C'mon, you all look so tense," Kaneshiro chirped, his tone disgustingly friendly, yet dripping with condescension. "I think I'll call it... 'Debauchery of Minors at a Club.' So, can I send this to your school?"

"Hey fuck you, buddy, I'm eighteen," Kennith snapped. He was met with a laugh from Kaneshiro, though it was more mocking than genuine laughter.

"Oh, damn, I got booze and cigs in the shot! Maybe some drugs too?" Kennith wasn't nearly as disturbed as the others seemed to be. He rubbed his arms unconsciously. "Ahh...this is so hilarious," Kaneshiro droned, leaning back in his seat. When he spoke again, his tone was low and sharp, his eyes on Makoto. "I feed on dumbshits like you. ...Understand, pretty little student council president?" His eyes drifted up again lazily, as if this were a routine for him. "Now listen up. Run your mouth to the police, and I'll break all of you, starting with your families."

Kennith let out another sharp, single-syllable laugh, which earned him confused and worried looks from the others. "You can go ahead with mine whether or not we do what you want, I got contact info." He hoped his smile and tone made him seem like he was joking.

Kaneshiro only rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Like I was saying...I want to give you the usual month, but well, you've got such a large group here..." A wicked grin broke out across his face. "Three weeks. Bring three million yen by then. No less. Summer bonuses are around the corner, you know? It'll be _easy_ if you beg your mommies and daddies." His cohorts snickered, though Kennith felt they seemed unamused. "Now get out of my sight. I'm about to have some fun."

Kennith and Ryuji angrily piped up at the same time, taking a step forward in unison, only to be gently ushered back by Akira. A soft mew escaped from his bag, which told Kennith, 'wait for the others to react'. Before he could _ignore_ that, however, the man holding Makoto to the ground released her and stood, allowing her to do the same. Kennith stepped forward to help her, calmly ignoring the group's frantic whispered protests. He kept an arm around her until they were outside again, shooting glares and making an "I'm watching you" sign towards Kaneshiro and his goons. He almost hated how calm he was in this situation. He was almost jealous that the others hadn't yet seen worse than this.

He hoped he wouldn't be counted as "worse."


	9. Infiltration Attempt 1

- _uhh this chapter still ended up really long but its not enough to split into more chapters so-_

The walk was fairly quiet, the air tense. Kennith wanted to break the silence, but Makoto was the one to speak first.

"I'm so sorry..." Her voice trembled as she spoke. "I didn't mean to drag you in like this..."

"For real," Ryuji mumbled, earning him his third smack of the day from Kennith.

"I was stupid..." Makoto continued, her eyes downcast. Kennith stopped Yusuke before he could speak, delivering a very stern glare, and silently mouthing 'Don't.' He stepped towards Makoto, offering a ghost of a smile.

"You weren't stupid, hun. You acted on impulse is all, happens t'all of us. What you did was drastic, yeah, but you were only tryin' to help."

Makoto's lip quivered for a moment before she turned away. "I was so caught up in trying to be useful..." The tremors in her voice broke his heart.

"All right, enough of the blame game! What's done is done," Ryuji assured, taking on a gentler tone.

"I'm going to cause trouble for Sis too..." Makoto mumbled, seemingly more to herself than anyone else. She barely seemed to have heard Ryuji.

"Sis?" Kennith was glad Ann had asked, so he didn't have to.

"My older sister has a commendable job, and she's a much more remarkable person than me... A lot happened after we lost our father three years ago, so it's just us living together... But I'm still a _child,_ so all I am is a burden to her..." Before she could continue, Kennith took another step and grabbed her hands, cradling them in his own.

"Hey. Quit that. You're not a _burden_ , understand? No caregiver, whether or not they're a parent or a sibling, should make the person they're takin' care of feel that way, regardless of whether or not they had a choice in it." He looked her right in the eyes as he spoke, giving her hands a soft squeeze. He pretended not to notice just how shiny her eyes were.

Everyone was quiet for a moment. "...Is... Is that why you were so reckless?" Yusuke asked. His tone was one of empathy, from one survivor to a possible other.

"I just wanted to be useful in some way to someone..." Kennith went to speak again, only for Ryuji to jump in over him.

"Y'know, I-I might not get your whole situation, but... a-ain't it a bit off saying that you're useless to her?"

"It's the truth, though..." Makoto said solemnly, her eyes falling to the ground again. Kennith only gave her hands another squeeze as a small form of reassurance. She pulled her hands away after a moment, holding them close to herself, which he took as a signal to back away. She turned her gaze to Ann, looking pained. "In particular, I have to apologize for what happened to you."

A look of confusion fell on Ann's face. "Eh..?"

"Now that I think on it," Makoto continued, "the truth about Kamoshida must've been covered up by the whole school. I had my suspicions, but...I couldn't do anything about it." Kennith opened his mouth to speak again, only to be cut off by Makoto, who sounded even closer to crying than she had before. "No, I _didn't_ do anything. Had I cared enough, I _could've_ done something..."

Ann didn't respond, her brows knitting together.

"People like me... must really be what others call scum of the earth."

Kennith balled his hands into fists. "Makoto, you couldn't have done anything," he blurted, his face burning hot, though whether it was anger or embarrassment, he couldn't be sure. "If all I heard is true, if you had tried to investigate or speak up, you'd've been silenced or even _punished,_ since like you said - you only had suspicions, nothing conclusive."

Ann nodded lightly. "Besides, _real_ scum wouldn't call themselves that."

Makoto seemed pleasantly surprised, albeit confused, by their encouragement. "Huh..?"

"I'm the same. It's just like you said before; I was closest to Shiho, but I didn't do anything... Besides, Kamoshida's the one to blame. Shiho understands that...and I do too."

"Takamaki-san..."

"You didn't have a place to belong either... Isn't that right?" Yusuke said, his voice gentle and somber. Kennith wondered, for a moment, if he was included in this idea - their group of misfits.

"Me... either..?" Makoto hesitantly questioned, looking nothing short of astonished.

"We won't let anyone fall victim again." Ann's voice was firm, and yet empathetic. That was sort of their duty, wasn't it? To help the people like them - the victims that no one knew were even in danger.

Kennith hazarded a wipe to his eyes - he couldn't be sure if he was crying.

"Now, what should we do from here?" Ann chirped, her serious look being replaced by more of a relaxed face.

"I could definitely take on some extra jobs," Kennith suggested. "Depending on what it is, I can usually get..." He paused to make the conversions in his head. "...About eleven thousand to thirty-three thousand yen per fix, sometimes more if it's more than one thing."

"You don't need to do that," Akira assured, voice as gentle as ever.

" _I'll_ do something about the money," Makoto insisted, "so can we _please_ just drop the case with Kaneshiro?"

Ryuji gave a hapless, lopsided smile. "No can do. We're all caught up in this."

"We can't have you rushing things on your own anymore and making the situation worse," Yusuke added. Kennith _wanted_ to punch him in the arm, but unfortunately, taking steps back just for that would be awkward.

Ryuji shifted his weight, crossing his arms. "Argh, if only we could do something about that bank..!"

"Ryuji!" Yusuke snapped.

Makoto didn't seem to sense that Ryuji had let something secret slip. "Bank..?"

Morgana began meowing, seeming almost excited. He couldn't even piece together what might have been said from how the others responded. Makoto seemed just as confused as he was.

"A cat..? Um, are you all okay..?" she asked hesitantly. Kennith gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I don't understand him either," he assured while the others continued their conversation. "That's sort of _their_ thing."

"That doesn't exactly help."

"Yeeeah, you get used to it."

He paid attention once he heard Yusuke say, "The reason we couldn't enter before is because we weren't considered his customers..."

That was it. That was his ticket to help. The gears started turning again in his brain, as plan after plan, strategy after strategy, piled up in his mind.

"W-Whoa, I don't follow this at all..." Ryuji mumbled, which earned a barely audible, "Same," from Kennith.

"She risked her life doing something so reckless. At the very least, she has the right to know," Yusuke explained. Kennith couldn't help feeling angered. It was too dangerous for him, and yet _she_ could go along? He fought to keep his expression neutral as Yusuke continued, "Won't you come with us?"

"What? ...Wait. To where?"

"Yeah, where're we goin'?" Kennith pinched the bridge of his nose. Ryuji was his friend - though he used that term loosely - but _god,_ how was he so clueless about something he knew even more about?

"Beats me..." Ann added. He gave her a slack-jawed look of astonished confusion.

* * *

The only reason he registered their transfer into the Metaverse was the way his stomach flipped. He swayed slightly, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth for a moment and stumbling to lean against a building. He vaguely heard Makoto's shocked questions, and happened a glance to the group. He leaned more of his weight against the building as his heart skipped a beat. This was not helping his nausea, but at the same time, he had a hard time caring.

He was shocked out of his reverie by an unfamiliar voice. "Be quiet. The Shadows are going to notice us." His eyes drifted to a tiny creature that looked more like a mascot or a plush toy than something that was meant to walk and talk.

"A monster cat?!" Makoto exclaimed. The cat-like creature fell to its hands and knees, letting out an exasperated cry of, " _I'm nooot!_ "

"That's Morgana, the cat that was in his bag," Ann explained. "This is what happens when we come here."

"That voice...Takamaki-san?"

"Yeah, no shit!" Kennith called over his shoulder, regretting it moments later as he gagged. _Deep breaths, Kenny._

Makoto seemed to ignore him, looking around confusedly. "Where _are_ we..?" Another pang of jealousy shot through him. Kennith stood properly, taking a breath to allow his stomach to fully settle before taking a few steps towards the group again, though the burning heat in his cheeks remained. He kept his head down, to be safe.

"We're inside Kaneshiro's... er, well, the 'world' inside his heart."

Makoto was silent for a moment, before spitting out an incredulous " _What?_ "

Kennith sighed. "If I can butt in," he chimed, "from what I remember, this place is...the Metaverse, yeah?" He was met with nods all around. "Yeah. It runs on how people see the world. People who are super shitty and see the world in a shitty way, can have that manifest into a...thing. And this place's Kaneshiro's." He paused, finally noticing the distinct lack of color here. He rubbed his eyes for a moment, as if hoping that would fix it, before letting out a soft, resigned groan. "Which is _also_ probably why it's so damn dull around here, ugh... But, did I get everythin'?"

"About as much as someone like you could," Morgana said, looking almost upset that he hadn't gotten a chance to speak. Kennith wasn't sure if that was meant as a compliment, or an insult.

"In other - less vulgar - words, it's another reality in which Kaneshiro's distorted desires have materialized," Yusuke explained. Makoto reached to rub her temples.

"Another reality?" Before anyone could answer, Makoto had turned around, only to be met with the site of a giant, floating...ship? Roomba? He had no idea what it was either, but it was giant, and terrifying, and he was all too glad that he had decided not to come here alone. "It's, _floating, in, the air!_ Th- _This,_ is reality?!" Makoto took a breath before adding on a very gentle "My goodness..." Kennith swore she was about to cry, with the way her breaths were shaking. She turned to the group again, having steeled herself. "I-I'm sorry, it's just... But since this _really exists_ , I can't doubt it..."

She turned away again, speaking softer. "A reality that one's heart shows... I-Is it like the application of optical illusions in social cognitive psychology..?"

"Honey, I dropped out of school as a sophomore, I'm gonna need you to put that in dummy terms," Kennith laughed. Akira laughed with him and patted his back with a grin, casually allowing his hand to rest there.

"You're too cute," he hummed.

"And I could say the same for _you,_ " Kennith retorted, fighting a losing battle against a smile. "Speakin' of - I missed seein' you without the glasses, but...Not like this is much better." He gestured to the elegant mask covering Akira's eyes.

"Oh! We can actually explain that - you might want to sit down, though."

Kennith had a little bit of a bounce in his step as they moved to a place to rest and talk. "Christ, finally," he said cheerily, taking a seat next to Makoto. "I've been waitin' ages for you to give the details." This earned Akira a glare from Morgana, who let out a huff.

"How much did you say you'd tell him?!"

"Only as much as you let me!" Akira laughed, raising his hands in a mock surrendering gesture. "He's just nosy."

"True, I am very very nosy, I like to know every single little detail ever," he affirmed, smiling.

"It's cute."

" _You're_ cute."

"Okay, okay, enough of the chit-chat," Ryuji interrupted, "we ain't got all day."

"If y'all have the time to tell us this, there's enough time for a few extra seconds'a back n' forth," Kennith playfully argued, though he was quickly quieted by the glare Ryuji shot at him.

The talk was actually much shorter than he had expected, though it did seem a bit watered down. He only paid attention to the parts he didn't already know, though Makoto seemed enraptured throughout the whole thing.

* * *

"I see... So 'stealing one's heart'... That may be like... _o-overwriting_ their cognition..." Makoto mused, sounding almost amazed. "I think I kind of get the logic behind it."

"Ain't she more amazing than you?" Ryuji said with a smile, turning to Morgana. Kennith bit his knuckle to stifle a laugh and looked away to hide his smile.

"W- We're about the same!" Morgana cried indignantly. He heard the gentle pat of paws hitting stone, indicating Morgana had leaped to his feet.

"I mean, like, not really," Kennith managed to giggle out. The fight against his case of the giggles was a losing battle.

Makoto ignored the little scene, continuing on with her speculations. "Then, does that mean there's an ATM version of myself somewhere in this world too?"

"I wouldn't imagine," Kennith hummed, still a little bit giggly. "I think we'd be, like, little walking bars of gold." Akira gently bonked him on the head. Morgana ignored his joke, turning his gaze to Makoto.

"Perhaps," he answered, as if Kennith hadn't spoken at all. "Regardless, we can change Kaneshiro's heart and make him confess if we steal his Treasure. ...If it all goes well, that is."

Ryuji stood, a confident grin shining on his face. "Heh! We'll _make_ it go well. Everyone'll notice us for _sure_ if we take someone like _Kaneshiro_ down!"

"Our justice will also become resolute," Yusuke added.

"Yeah, I was about to say," Kennith chimed, unable to wipe the smile from his face, "ain't this for the good of the people?"

Ann nodded, a warm smile gracing her own face. "Exactly. Think we'd actually be able to give courage to those in need if it happens?"

"For the sake of those in need, huh..?" Makoto mumbled. A sad smile crossed her face. "You sound like my father."

"Your father..?" Kennith almost groaned, wanting to yell at her to read the mood, but he bit his tongue.

"Ah- No, don't mind me," Makoto said dismissively, seeming to snap out of a daze and pushing off the wall she had been leaning against. "You want to go to that bank, right? Let's go then."

Kennith stood to follow, but Akira placed his hand on his chest and shook his head. "You're not going in. It's too dangerous for you."

He felt his cheeks flushing red again. "Wha- _why?_ She gets to go in, and she-"

"-Is necessary to bring along, since we've been doing this for her," Akira interrupted. The look on his face was stern, before he let out a sigh and allowed his expression to soften. "Look. I know that you want to help, but I don't want you to get hurt. I've already put you in danger just by bringing you with us to see Kaneshiro - hell, I've put you in danger just by telling you about these things." He took Kennith's hands and gently kissed his knuckles, closing his eyes for a moment. "Go home, n' get some rest, okay?"

Kennith fumbled for words, before simply letting out a sigh of defeat, his shoulders slumping. "Yeah, yeah..." He stood on his toes to give Akira a gentle kiss, and a reassuring smile. "I gotcha. I'll head home. Love you."

"Good. And I love you too." Akira moved away from him, heading back to the group and waving to him as they ascended the shining steps to the craft. Kennith waved a little peace sign back.

Once he had re-entered the real world, he made his way home, as he had promised. He couldn't help a devilish grin as he exchanged his binder for his armor and gathered his arsenal. He had said he'd go home, but he hadn't said anything about not coming back.

* * *

And yet, despite his preparations, things did not go as planned. Not entirely, anyway. He had been able to activate the stairs and make his way into the bank itself without an issue. However, he was very quickly stopped by large, dark things that seemed to be security guards. He tried to respond to their questions as innocently as possible, and all was going well until he lost his patience.

He had tried to make a break in a direction a guard had ordered him not to go, but he was quickly seized by two of them, dragging him away to the front door. He hadn't even had a chance to draw any of his weapons.

Just as he heard a group of footsteps rushing towards the foyer, and just as he saw a black coat swish into view, he was literally _thrown_ out of the bank, landing hard on the concrete. He stood after a moment with a huff and dusted himself off, before flipping off the closed doors.

"Well fuck you too, then!" he yelled, glaring at the doors, as if he were looking into a security camera and not a barrier. He turned on his heel and stormed down the steps, grumbling the entire way.

Well, it was never too late to rework a plan, he supposed.


End file.
